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D-304 hires former Geneva cop to safety/security post

Former Geneva police officer Tim Baker was hired by Geneva School District 304 as its new safety/security coordinator.

GENEVA – The Geneva School District 304 Board approved the hiring of Tim Baker on Nov. 13 as the new safety/security coordinator, officials announced in a news release.

Baker has experience as a military police officer and a law enforcement officer, having worked for 32 years at the Geneva Police Department, the release stated.

For more than eight years, Baker also worked at Geneva High School as the resource officer, the release stated.

He has a general education degree from College of DuPage and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice management from Aurora University, the release stated.

A resident of Geneva, Baker has many community ties, the release stated.

Baker has demonstrated an active interest in promoting the development of young people, the release stated.

Baker’s involvement includes more than 20 years as director of the Greater Fox River Valley Operation Snowball, a community-based substance abuse prevention program for teenagers, the release stated.

Baker also received the Geneva Police Department’s Exceptional Duty Award in 2014 for his involvement with Operation Snowball.

Baker also teaches a law enforcement course at the Fox Valley Career Center, the release stated.

The search for a new safety/security coordinator began in mid-September after the resignation of the former safety/security coordinator, Amy Campbell, the release stated.

“We are very pleased to have Tim Baker join us in Geneva 304,” Superintendent Kent Mutchler stated in the release. “He brings an extensive background in security and law enforcement, as well as an excellent understanding of the Geneva community and school system.”

Baker will be working approximately 20 hours per week at a salary of $37,500 annually, according to an email from a district spokeswoman.

Baker began his part-time assignment Nov. 14, the release stated.

Baker was also the subject of controversy in Geneva when he sought a second position with the police department as a community service officer after he retired.

Baker aired the dispute at a City Council meeting April 6, 2015.

Baker said officials had told him it would be "unethical" to hire him for the second position, as they were trying to get state laws changed to prevent "double-dipping" in public pensions.

If Baker had been accepted for the community service position, he would have received his police pension, plus the community service officer salary, and then a second pension once he retired as a community service officer, officials said.

But in a voluntary separation agreement last year, Baker accepted a lump sum of $18,000 to leave and released the city from all legal or financial claims.

The agreement was released through a Freedom of Information Act request.